The Assunto's Real Dukes of Dixieland Accomplishments 1949 - 1974

• Won The Horace Heidt National Talent Contest from New Orleans in 1949.

• Took 2nd place at The Horace Heidt National Talent Contest National Finals from Memphis TN. in 1949.

• First Dixieland Jazz Band to record 2 Jazz classics written by Paul Barbarin, Bourbon Street Parade and Slide Frog Slide.

• Invited to play with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra in 1949 - Frank was 17 and Freddie was 19.

• Live Radio Broadcast to our troops in Korea From the Famous Door for the BBC in 1951 and 1952.

• Early 1950's, headliners for the South's first TV station, NBC-WDSU. Opening act for such acts as Louie Prima, Keely Smith, and Dick Van Dyke's first TV appearance.

• First Dixieland Jazz Band to record in Hi-Fidelity.

• First Dixieland Jazz Band to sell over 1 million albums.

• First Dixieland Jazz Band to record in stereo.

• The number one Jazz combo in the nation for 15 years (1950 - 1965).

• Named the number one Jazz Band by Playboy Jazz Review for 8 years straight.

• "Credited with revitalizing Dixieland Jazz nationally and internationally" in the words of Red Nichols.

• Appeared on All the top TV shows of their time including: Ed Sullivan (3 times in 1959), Timex Jazz Hour (3 times), the Pat Boone Show, Bell Telephone Hour, Jimmy Rogers Show, Kate Smith TV program, The Tonight Show, Mike Douglas, the Jimmy Dean Show, The Edie Adams Show, Steve Allen, and the Dean Martin Show just to name a few.

• Performed on stage and recorded with music greats such as: Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Gene Krupa, Herb Ellis, Harry James, Johnny Mathis, Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughn, along with many others.

• First true Dixieland Jazz Band to perform and record live from Carnegie Hall to a sell out crowd.

• In 1951, Frank (19) and Freddie (21), began their very successful recording careers with Bandwagon, Okeh, Imperial, RCA, Audio Fidelity, Columbia, and Decca.